A Gentle Sort Of Love
by kimihime97
Summary: They should have met sooner. Maybe then they would have fallen together a little faster, been a little happier. But there was no use in lamenting over the past. She was here. Hinata was here. Hinata was his wife and she looked at him like he put the stars in her sky. He'd spend his whole life making her feel the same way.


Some mornings Sasuke was jolted awake by nightmares that thought he was much too old to let haunt him. He'd shoot up in bed, lips trembling and hair sticking to his face and, in those first few moments, he was almost positive he could see blood staining the walls and the floor. But no, it was never blood...Just the reddish hue of the steadily rising sun pouring in through the open curtains. His heart would slow down a little and the panic would be replaced with exhaustion, but he'd never go back to sleep. Instead he'd lay back down, just like he did now, and turn on his side to look at the sleeping face of the woman beside him.

Hinata always looked the most peaceful when she slept, her dark hair going in all directions and even sticking to her neck and her face. It made something in Sasuke's chest ache in the best of ways and he found himself pressing his lips to her forehead. She shifted then, always a rather light sleeper, and a moment later those white eyes were fluttered open to focus on his face, Hinata's soft lips tugging up into a very small smile. "Up early again, hm...?"

"Mhm." His hand found it's way to cup her cheek, thumb stroking her bottom lip for a second. "Earlier than I wanted to..."

Her smile faltered for just a moment before she slid closer to him, her legs tangling with his own under their heavy comforter. "Another bad dream?"

Sasuke wasn't really sure why he sometimes still had to force himself to be honest with her, despite how many years they'd been together. He knew she would never turn him away, would never narrow those hauntingly gorgeous eyes at him in disgust like some people still did. He was endlessly thankful for that...for her patience, for her startlingly big heart. There was still a part of him that didn't think he deserved her and maybe that was the part of himself that tried to make things hard for him when it came to her. Perhaps in some small way, there was still a part of himself trying to sabotage the good life he had finally made for himself.

"Sasuke?" Her voice wasn't worried, wasn't impatient. It was just calm, hooking onto his consciousness and bringing him back to the present. Back to her.

Sasuke hummed softly, hand moving up so that he could gently rake his fingers through her hair. "Yeah...another bad dream." He murmured after a moment. "Same as always..."

He was convinced that Hinata had to be an angel on earth, really, with how easily she seemed to ease his suffering. It was almost like it was second nature to her, as easy as breathing for her to chase away all of his fears with just a few words or the gentle press of her lips to his temple. When their relationship had still been new to the world he agonized over the fear that he didn't ease any of her pain or worries. He didn't want her to feel like she was free therapy, just there to ease his suffering while she had to push her own to the side. To be burden on someone else again...

But it had surprised him, overjoyed him really, to find out his presence in her life had filled her with a confidence she'd never had before. No one had ever loved her like this, she had said. Kiba and Shino, her blessed team, loved her to death but this...this was a love she had never expected to feel. She had never really planned on someone loving her as much as she loved them. She had spent her entire life loving someone who barely sparred a glance at her, only to have Sasuke come and sweep her off her feet without even trying. She compared him to a prince and...well, he let her have that.

He figured that maybe it was the way he spoke praise into her skin, chased away her insecurities and filled their home with a love and warmth he didn't even think he could give to another person that made her feel so at ease with him.

A small, aching part of him wondered how different their lives could have been had their paths crossed when they were small, were still innocent and in need of a friend.

"Do you need anything?" she spoke so softly, as if she was worried about breaking the peace of their bedroom. "Tea? A...hot bath?"

He grunted softly and, after a moment, allowed a small and playful smirk to tug at his lips. "A hot bath sounds alright, so long as you join me."

She snorted, a noise she would have been mortified to make years ago. "You know we have plans in a few hours."

"I'm aware." He murmured, feeling cold as he watched her sit up, the blankets pooling around her hips, her hair cascading down her back. "I don't have any hidden motives behind taking a bath with my wife."

She shot a small smile over her shoulder at him. "That's what you said _last _time."

"If I remember correctly." He reached up to gently tug a strand of her hair, chuckling softly when she slapped his hand away. "You certainly didn't mind."

"You're insufferable." She laughed and the sound made Sasuke's heart ache. She leaned down to press her lips to hiss, the kiss slow and still a little sleepy, and when she pulled away there was a soft blush blossoming on her cheeks. "I'll get the bath ready but if you make us late to breakfast with my sister, you're sleeping on the couch for a week."

"Whatever you say, Lady Uchiha." Sasuke murmured, his smile soft as he watched her go.

His nightmare was already fading from his mind. They always seemed to fade fast with Hinata near, like his mind was finally convinced that he was safe. The past couldn't touch him here in his bedroom, not while his wife could still smile at him like he put the stars in her sky. God, sometimes he wished he had just gone on a mission with her sooner than he did. Maybe then they would have fallen together so much faster...but there was no use lamenting in the past. She was here. She was his _wife _and even if everyone else narrowed their eyes at him in disgust, Hinata still looked at him like he was a _human _worthy of love and happiness.

He'd spend his entire life making her feel the same way.


End file.
